Abbado’s mature style ‘in embryo’ together with a fairly impressive example of what Decca could achieve at the Kingsway Hall back in February 1968 (the odd conspicuous edit notwithstanding). The Janacek is basically quite similar to Abbado’s 1987 BPO remake, save that the opening Allegretto is slower and rather less assured that it later became and the Moderato has a more incisive attack from the brass, especially at around the central climax. And for proof of Abbado’s interpretative consistency, note that the passage in question occurs at the identical point on each track (3'53'', DG and Decca)! Both here and in the Hindemith Metamorphosis, Abbado and Decca opt for luminosity and ‘bite’, an option that pays particularly high dividends in the “Turandot Scherzo”, although I didn’t much care for Abbado’s exaggerated broadening at the final climax (a simple tenuto turned into a fairly marked ritardando).
The Prokofiev was recorded at the London Opera Centre during September 1969 and sounds equally impressive. Again, Abbado employs his keen ear in pursuit of a reading where rhythmic suppleness, clarity and delicacy (try the first movement’s fairy-tale coda) are main priorities. So, with less-than-compelling CD competition to contend with, I’d say that this Prokofiev Third is as good as any – although I’d urge BMG to reinstate to the catalogue either Leinsdorf (RCA, 7/67 – nla) or Rozhdestvensky (Melodiya, 2/71 – nla), both of whom would probably steal a lead on their current rivals. Decca’s transfers and presentation are excellent.'